Author:Zodiac Killer

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Zodiac Killer
(fl. 1960s/fl. 1970s)

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The Zodiac Killer was a serial killer who operated in Northern California from at least the late 1960s to the early 1970s. His identity remains unknown.

The name was coined in a series of taunting letters sent to the press until 1974. Despite his astrology-related penname the killer hadn't shown any clear interest in astrology, and it's possible he drew inspiration from previous killers such as Jack the Ripper. These letters included four cryptograms or ciphers, two of which have yet to be solved.

Works

Letters

Zodiac Killer letter, November 29th 1966, titled "The Confession", authorship disputed
Zodiac Killer letter, December 1966, titled "Sick of living/unwilling to die", poem carved on a desk, authorship disputed
Zodiac Killer letter, April 30th 1967
Zodiac Killer letter, July 31st 1969, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner and Vallejo Times
Zodiac Killer letter, August 4th 1969, sent to the San Francisco Examiner
Zodiac Killer letter, September 27th 1969, written on a car door at the Lake Berryessa crime scene
Zodiac Killer letter, October 13th 1969, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle following the killing of cabdriver Paul Stine
Zodiac Killer letter, November 8th 1969, the "Dripping Pen" card
Zodiac Killer letter, November 9th 1969, the "Death machine" or "Bus bomb" letter, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, December 20th 1969, sent to celebrity attorney Melvin Belli
Zodiac Killer letter, April 20th 1970, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, April 28th 1970, greeting card sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, June 26th 1970, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, July 24th 1970, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, July 26th 1970, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, October 5th 1970, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, October 27th 1970, sent to Paul Avery of the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, March 13th 1971, sent to the Los Angeles Times
Zodiac Killer letter, March 22th 1971, the "Lake Tahoe" card
Zodiac Killer letter, January 29th 1974, the "Exorcist" letter, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, Feb 14th 1974, the "SLA" card, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, May 8th 1974, the "Badlands" card, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, July 8th 1974, the "Count Marco Red Phantom" letter, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle
Zodiac Killer letter, April 24 1978, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle, considered a forgery by most experts
Zodiac Killer letter, May 4 1978, sent to Channel Nine, authorship disputed

Some or all works by this author are in the public domain in the United States because they were legally published within the United States (or the United Nations Headquarters in New York subject to Section 7 of the United States Headquarters Agreement) between 1929 and 1977 (inclusive) without a copyright notice.

These works may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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